Lately I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be an international student, and how it shapes us far beyond the number of languages we speak. What happens when we’re educated about the world in ways that slowly pull us away from our own cultures? How does the idea of “home” evolve when exploration is so deeply rooted in our values? How do we stay close to the people we love when they live across oceans and time zones? And the most difficult question of all: will we ever find a place that feels like home, when we’ve never fully known what home is?

Maybe the cure to the modern mental health epidemic is simply to....have someone to talk to.... even if it's just for thirty minutes per night. Let's break down the magic of 'talking about nothing', and how important it is in fulfilling humans' fundamental desire to feel safe through connection. In this episode, I reflect on my experiences living with family in Shanghai, living alone in NYC, and now living with a homestay family in Milan. Enjoy ~

Since middle school, I have struggled to make platonic male friends. I say this because I somehow always get accused of being flirtatious, or leading people on. My personality gives off the wrong impression, and I cannot help it unless I pretend to be someone I am not. I asked around for some advice on how I can start making some male friends without seeming like I am romantically interested in someone. Tune in to listen to how I plan on preventing myself from falling back into old patterns of developing unwanted sexual tension with men I merely see as another human being.

In moments of drastic change, life can feel completely turned upside down. From daily meals to sleeping habits, everything is forced out of its familiar rhythm when you move abroad. Today, I invite you to reflect on the small things that made this transition a little easier. What do you appreciate? Now, think back to a time when you faced a similar major shift. What new insight do you see now, looking back at a younger version of yourself? I’m so grateful for every one of you listening, and I’ll talk to you all very soon. :)

Buongiorno from Milan, Italy! The past two days in Italy has given me more culture shock than I have expected. What do you mean you don't sit down at a cafe? Why are Italian men so flirty? Gym culture in Italy? Um hello bakery store, google maps said you are open, but why aren't you?? Here are some of my unfiltered thoughts as a Chinese-American exchange student.

Two diasporic girls unpack their complicated relationships with wealth through reflections on their lived experiences in Fuzhounese-American ethnic enclaves. How does the “American Dream” shape taboos around inheritance and conversations about money? How do these silences surface in elite environments, cultural crossroads, and within the financial capital of New York City? In this episode, Wena and I explore alternative relationships to work and life among Chinese, Americans, and those who exist somewhere in between. We do so by asking a pressing question of our moment: what does it mean to “labor” in an era increasingly shaped by AI and job augmentation?

While Asian Americans and other AAPI groups have recently gained representation through legislation, cinema, and literature, a niche group has yet to be spoken up for: International School Students in America. Neither fitting into the category of "minority" nor fully belonging to any one culture, I and many of my peers face constant imposter syndrome after leaving our haven. Today, Sarah and I discuss why the socioeconomic upbringings in an international school community may increase students' imposter syndrome once entering a more diverse American university. We conclude by discussing how we've navigated these culture shocks in our own ways.

Growing up in a modest household where the top love language was acts of service, I have never learnt how to flirt. In this episode, expert flirtist Blu spills her secret recipe to making everyday flattery a little more grungy, a lot more spicy. From party tricks to Hinge pick-up lines, we cover a lot of ground. There may even be a few stories of past romances sprinkled here and there. Follow along on my journey to spice up my love life :)